Longer wait times to see docs now?

[CathyA]

I've been wondering if this is because there are a lot more people now who have insurance coverage.
I used to be able to get into docs fairly quickly. I called to get one doc appointment, and the earliest was 6 months.
Today I made an appointment with a specialist, and it's almost 3 weeks away.
Just curious if this is because of the ACA? I'm not putting it down, just wondering if that has had an affect (effect?)

DH is always saying that, at least here in Indiana, there just aren't enough people becoming doctors these days.
Another hassle is that most of the docs around here are owned and run by the big hospitals.....which makes most of the docs unhappy.

Docs that are unhappy and also too busy make for unhappy patients!

Have you been seeing this trend in longer wait times?
Maybe we're just spoiled, but if you're not feeling well, 6 months is a long wait. But hey.....you can always find a doc you can see you tomorrow...........because nobody else wants to see him/her because they are bad docs.

[pinkytoe]

Haven't been to a doc in a couple of years but last few times I went to a specialist's office it felt like a production line in a factory. Waiting rooms with at least 20 people. Long rows of windows for checking in and out. Thirty minute wait in the exam room followed by five minute check by nurse followed by 2-3 minutes with a doc or PA. Pay/leave and wonder what the heck that was all about.

[CathyA]

Haven't been to a doc in a couple of years but last few times I went to a specialist's office it felt like a production line in a factory. Waiting rooms with at least 20 people. Long rows of windows for checking in and out. Thirty minute wait in the exam room followed by five minute check by nurse followed by 2-3 minutes with a doc or PA. Pay/leave and wonder what the heck that was all about.

Yeah, I've had that experience too. When it comes to having more personal areas dealt with, such hurried exams without any kind of emotional comfort given, almost feels like an assault.

[Teacher Terry]

I waited 3 months to see a neurologist when I was having some serious issues. I was told by my doc that a call from her would not help. They say go to the ER if you can't wait. OUr state has a big doc shortage.

[catherine]

I don't go to the doctor much because I don't like to wait.

When I HAVE to go, I go to the urgent care center.

The [rotten] healthcare system disincentivizes doctors by capitating their pay (a set fee paid to the doctor per patient by the insurer--usually by HMOs), requiring large staffs just to process insurance claims (my doctor has FIVE people JUST to manage insurance), and, as you/DH implied, just taking away any shred of autonomy and respect they used to have.

Dermatologists are migrating to cosmetics and other elective procedures. OB/GYNs are dropping the "OB" because of potential malpractice suits. There are a lot more older people now filling up waiting rooms. Doctors have a hard time paying back student loans.

I'm not surprised there are long waits.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I don't notice a wait just with primary care physicians (general checkups, gynos etc.). But then I don't often see other specialists. I use urgent care for everything else as well. Urgent care is awesome.

A medical system I guess where doctors are both unhappy AND half the country can't afford to go to a doctor at this point (oh they may have an ACA plan but the high deductibles and their modest income hardly makes it usable for anything more than a yearly physical).

I usually get better treatment with nurses and am kind of gravitating to seeing nurses instead of doctors at this point. They can do many of the things one needs.

[CathyA]

I don't notice a wait just with primary care physicians (general checkups, gynos etc.). But then I don't often see other specialists. I use urgent care for everything else as well. Urgent care is awesome.

A medical system I guess where doctors are both unhappy AND half the country can't afford to go to a doctor at this point (oh they may have an ACA plan but the high deductibles and their modest income hardly makes it usable for anything more than a yearly physical).

I usually get better treatment with nurses and am kind of gravitating to seeing nurses instead of doctors at this point. They can do many of the things one needs.

About seeing nurses instead...........If the nurses are competent, then it can be a wonderful thing. They take their time with you, you can usually get in sooner to see them. But.....having been a critical care nurse, I have pretty high expectations for any nurse I see. She needs to know more than I do! I know I got in in one day to see my G.I. doc's PA (physician's assistant). Otherwise, I would have waited 2 months. But guess how soon that doc could do an upper G.I. procedure on me........2 days!
The PA was fairly knowledgeable, but he was about early 20's.....
I might not know as much as a doc, but I sure know when they aren't going in the right direction. Unfortunately, "lay people" for the most part accept whatever their doc says..........especially if he/she is nice to them. Which is really sad/scary to me.
I'm rambling..........but I'm in the midst of having various problems and it's soooooo hard to find a very open-minded/think out of the box/caring doctor any more. It's really sad.

But I'm going to see a Nurse Practitioner for something and she seems (from all online reports) to be extremely competent and I was told that she gives each patient an hour visit! Compare that to doc's having patients scheduled at least every 15 minutes.
Healthcare........what a scary mess.

[JaneV2.0]

I don't know about wait times because I haven't seen a doctor in over 20 years, and I dread having to go through the geriatric thing where they push every drug imaginable on you. I really should start seeing about joint replacement, but when I weigh being lame against dealing with doctors and insurance, it's a tossup.

[creaker]

Haven't been to a doc in a couple of years but last few times I went to a specialist's office it felt like a production line in a factory. Waiting rooms with at least 20 people. Long rows of windows for checking in and out. Thirty minute wait in the exam room followed by five minute check by nurse followed by 2-3 minutes with a doc or PA. Pay/leave and wonder what the heck that was all about.

This was how my last physicals went - nurses collected data, the doctor piece was short and pretty pointless and could have also been done by the nurse. The only useful thing was getting lab work done, and I'm sure I looked at the same results online as the doctor did, again no value added.

[iris lilies]

I have no skills to evaluate the competency of a physician.I am at the mercy of whomever I visit.

DH recently went through a little health issue and in order to get into see a physician, he had to take a couple of spots with physician asst. She seemed ok, but what do I know.